This entailed breaking of his sword, removal of his spurs from his heels, and cutting off of his horse’s tail. Nevertheless, cruelty, treachery, untruthfulness, cowardice, baseness and crime of every sort were opposed to the spirit of Chivalry and conviction on any of such grounds would lead to one’s expulsion from the brotherhood of the Knights, by the ceremony of degradation. This is evidenced by the contemporary compositions which testify to a general dissoluteness among the Knighterrants. Hallam remarks that gallantry in those days was often adulterous and the morals of Chivalry were not pure. “An errant Knight” an old writer described “was an errant knave.” Again “deeds that would disgrace a thief and acts of cruelty that would have disgusted a Hellenic tyrant or a Roman emperor were common things with Knights of the highest lineage” were the remarks of yet another writer. (7) “Its struggle to exist in face of the old unmitigated barbarism which had become traditional with the warrior classes meant half-victory of the civilizing forces for Chivalry brought certain civilizing influence upon the then barbarous society by its high ‘feudal-religious’ ideals.”īut it must be noted as Myers points out that although there were instances in which the Knights lived up to the high ideals of a Knightly life, there were too many who Knights were only in profession. (6) To this strong tincture of religion which entered into the composition of Chivalry in the 12th century was added another distinguishing trait, viz. Hallam stresses valour, loyalty, courtesy and munificence as the basic virtues of Chivalrous conduct. The service of Christ by purity of life and readiness of sword particularly against the Turks who possessed the holy places, was the most cardinal of all principles of Chivalry. (5) A Chivalrous Knight must as well be “gentle, brave, courteous, truthful, pure, generous, hospitable, faithful to his engagements and ever ready to risk life and limb in the cause of religion and in defence of his companions in arms.” This was a religious belief as Hallam points out that “he who was faithful and true to his lady was held sure of salvation” according to the theology of the Knights although not of the Christians. (4) Chivalric loyalty to the mistress of his supreme affection was the first article in the creed of the true Knight. The institution was regarded as sacred and required elaborate rituals such as twenty-four hours’ fast confession and communion and the arming of the candidate by a knight or by ladies. (3) “A Knight was a noble but not every noble a Knight.” A noble must have proved his quality of manhood before he could ‘be struck Knight’ in solemn ceremony. Distinguished prowess of ordinary soldiers would at times be rewarded with admission into this brotherhood. Ancestral military service was one of the very important criterions for admittance into this brotherhood of mounted warriors. (2) It was an international caste, that this brotherhood recognized no territorial limits.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |